An early start for the Royal Stud as the recently sold Crown Estate (110,000gns) won his first race last week for his new owners in Dubai, on the all-weather. Good news for the new owners but also the King as it shows he's not selling poor stock. The price he got for this gelding by Dubawi out of a Shamardal mare looks reasonable. The King should have a half-brother to Crown Estate, by Frankel, entering training this year. As yet unnamed as, so far, are all the Royal 2yos.
I write the above note and lo and behold some 2yos are named. Food for Thought f by Dubawi out of Thought Process Golden Orbit f by Sea the Stars out of Diploma Lightning Polka f by Night of Thunder out of Light Music Queen's Companion f by Dubawi out of Magnetic Charm Seance f by Dark Angel out of Kinematic Tropical Sands f by Too Darn Hot out of Shama I make it that there could be one more filly (Camelot out of Daphne). None as yet assigned to trainers, except that Lightning Polka and Tropical Sands were registered with Ed Walker for 3 days (is there another Royal trainer baptism to take place?). The Breeder's Cup site seems behind the GBB site in that the above are not named on that site. I think Food for Thought might not be allowed under the 20 year rule. Better names than they've had for the last 2 years, at least.
Some colts now named on the Breeder's Cup site Faraway Tree c by Wooded out of Al Nayeba (first foal, mare already sold); King's Trust c by Kingman out of Award Scheme ( first foal of black type Siyouni mare); Lorca's Waltz c by Lope de Vega out of Sweet Idea ( Australian mare by Snitzel); Point of Law c by Frankel out of Portfolio (first foal of winning Deep Impact daughter of Diploma); Portcullis c by Frankel out of Castle Lady (half brother to sold Crown Estate); Royal Flurry c by Kingman out of Desert Breeze (half-brother to Desert Hero) The Frankels and Kingmans look to have attractive pedigrees. That leaves 3 yet to be named, if in fact they are still alive or capable of racing. None, as yet, assigned to trainers.
An early first winner of the year for the King as Purple Rainbow, on her second start, comfortably beat her field at Kempton. She raced keenly at first but soon settled at the front of the field. When challenged 2f out, she easily pulled clear of her field. Marquand didn't give her a hard race and she responded to the tap he gave her below the distance. I'd imagine she could easily do better than this and will probably be suited by 10f+. It wouldn't be surprising if we don't see her again until the turf season. She goes to the top of the list of promising Royal 3yos.
First 2yo registered as going into training is King's Trust, a Kingman colt out of the Siyouni mare Award Scheme. An early foal, born January 2023, he could be a fairly early starter. He goes to the Gosdens.
Three more 2yos are assigned to trainers. It now looks official that Ed Walker is a Royal trainer. He has been sent two 2yos:they are both fillies and named Lightning Polka and Tropical Sands. Beckett has been sent the filly Queen's Companion. Registration of the 2yo fillies have been completed and though not named yet the Camelot out of Daphne filly has been registered. Another 2yo colt has been named and that is Evaluate by Sea the Stars out of Estimate (he has a 7yo half-brother by Dubawi who's called Evaluation). That leaves only two 2yos to be named (the other one is out of Companionship).
Looks as if one of the King's unraced 3yos will make his debut on Saturday at Newcastle. He's called Warrant Holder and is a Frankel colt out of the Dubawi mare Diploma (who's had 3 runners and 3 winners so far). He's a half-brother to Porfolio and Educator (both by Deep Impact), whilst he is a full-brother to the disappointing High Order. He's Gosden's only Royal 3yo and Shoemark takes the mount. Wonder if he'll beat Gennadius by 8 lengths?
A pleasing debut by the Gosdens' Warrant Holder. He appeared pretty green and after running second to the 2f marker had Shoemark scrubbing along whilst the favourite, Nordic Norm, seemed to be travelling strongly. Just as Nordic Norm challenged the leader Red Hot Whisper inside the final furlong WH looked flat footed. He looked to be the best part of a length down with a half furlong to go but then ran on pleasingly to get within a fast diminishing head of Nordic Norm. In another 50 yards Warrant Holder would have won. He looked a tall colt and a little unfurnished. He could do a lot better over further and is bred to be a 10f horse. The form could be reasonable as the 3rd, Red Hot Whisper, has an OR of 82 and has had one of 94 yet he was beaten one and half lengths by WH. We don't know which Red Hot Whisper turned up today, bt Warrant Holder should win races..
Haggas announces that he'll be taking Desert Hero over to Australia in a quartet of horses going for their Autumn season. Can't help thinking he must have had some problems last year. Another 2yo is announced and that's Brotherhood of Man who's a colt by Siyouni out of Companionship (by Dubawi) and her first foal. He goes to Haggas. Now only one 2yo to be named, though a handful are still to be assigned to trainers.
This year's Royal 3yo looks as if it will be Purple Rainbow. The entries for the first four French classics were published today and Haggas's filly gets an entry for the Prix de Diane. Now these entries in the past have been woeful at worst or misplaced at best. Purple Rainbow's sister Perfect Alibi(by Le Havre) was similarly entered for this French classic and, although useful, didn't win her maiden until the end of May as a 3yo. She was at her best at 12f+. Purple Rainbow is more precocious, having won over 8f. She should be suited by 10f and maybe a race like the Pretty Polly, at the start of May may be a target. No more news on who's training the 2yos.
Another unraced 3yo is entered for the first time on Monday at Southwell. He's a Balding trained gelding named Bouquet de Paris and is by Le Havre out of a useful mare called Light Music. The gelding is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Light Refrain. More 2yos are getting in training and this is the shape of Balding's Royal horses (so far):- Balding Bouquet de Paris 3yo g by Le Havre out of Light Music Unraced 2yo, gelded half brother to Group 2 winner (Light Refrain by Frankel). Handcuffed 3yo f by Dark Angel out of Make Fast Won on 2yo debut then seemed to train off. Half-sister to Tactical (won Windsor Castle Stks, July Stks and Free Handicap): something to prove (dam now sold). Out of training at moment. Séance 2yo f by Dark Angel out of Kinematic Half-sister to Kings Lynn More to follow
A satisfactory first start from Bouquet de Paris. Ran green early on behind the leader and eventual winner Michael Schofield, who looked primed on his debut. When the leader struck for home Balding's colt was the only one to offer any resistance, but it was soon obvious he was not going to stage a serious challenge. Probert accepted the situation at the distance and just rode him out to make sure he just kept 3rd place. He was relatively unfancied (I got 28-1 this morning), so there wasn't a lot of stable confidence behind him. If he improves for the run he'll win races. No foals have been reported to have been born yet. As regards the horses in training it very much looks as if two trainers, Haggas and Beckett, have risen to the top of the pile. Here's the shape of Haggas's Royal horses (so far):- Desert Hero 5yo g by Sea the Stars out of Desert Breeze Winning 2yo and high class 3yo (3rd St Leger and won Gordon Stks) but disappointed as a 4yo: something to prove. Goes to Australia as a select quartet is shipped out for their Autumn festival. Aeolian 3yo f by Fastnet Rock out of Desert Breeze Unraced 2yo, out of unraced mare half-sister to Dartmouth. Purple Rainbow 3yo f by Night of Thunder out of Daphne Once raced 2yo (2nd) and won seasonal (AW) debut as 3yo. Half-sister to 12-14f Listed winner Perfect Alibi (Le Havre): promising. The King’s Falcon 3yo g by Dubawi out of Desert Flyer First foal of dual winning (7-8f AW) mare. Ran twice as 2yo (4th and 2nd): some promise, gelded. Golden Handshake 3yo c by Zarak out of Star Value Sixth foal to enter training (3 winners) out of moderate but well-bred mare. Unraced 2yo. Out of training at moment. Brotherhood of Man 2yo c by Siyouni out of Companionship First foal of winning (2yo) Dubawi mare More to follow
The first Royal Stud foal is reported to have been born: a Zarak colt out of maiden mare Blue Missile. She won one race as a 2yo but appeared not to have trained on as a 3yo. She's by Galileo out of an Iffraaj mare who won 3 races, including the Nell Gwynn, but who's been a disappointing broodmare. Here are the Royal horses in training with Gosden this year (so far): - Warrant Holder 3yo c by Frankel out of Diploma Unraced 2yo, half-brother to two winners, Portfolio and Educator (both by Deep Impact). Showed distinct promise on 3yo all-weather debut. King’s Trust 2yo c by Kingman out of Award Scheme First live foal of Black Type mare (3rd Galtres Stakes), who also won twice over 10f. Portcullis 2yo c by Frankel out of Castle Lady 2nd foal, half-brother to dual 3yo winner Crown Estate. more to follow.
